NEWPORT NEWS, Va. (WAVY) — Newport News Police officers shot and killed an “agitated” man who pointed a weapon at them Monday on Crown Court at the King’s Ridge Apartments after they had “repeatedly” asked him to put it down, police said.

Police responded to a call at 5:27 p.m. in reference to a suicidal person in the 500 block of Crown Court — neighbors called police — and when they arrived, they tried to de-escalate the situation, police said.

In a news conference on Tuesday, Newport News Police Chief Steve Drew said 39-year-old Aaron Dusinberre was expressing suicidal thoughts to officers. After failed attempts to connect with the individual, Drew said Dusinberre pointed what appeared to be a firearm at the officers. Only after the shooting did police determine that Dusinberre had a BB gun.

“He was angry,” Drew said. “He stated several times he did not want to live. He didn’t want to go on. He didn’t want to do this anymore.”

Shimiki Perrin’s mother, who lives next door to Dusinberre, spoke to him before the standoff.

“When my mom got off, she spoke to him,” Shimiki Perrin said. “She said, ‘Hi,’ like she always does, and he told her to go in the house and don’t come back out for awhile. She asked him what was wrong. She didn’t see the gun at first, but saw the gun beside him.”

Based on the interactions between the man and officers, and Dusinberre’s refusal to put down his weapon, Drew said this incident could potentially fit into the description of suicide by cop. Neighbors also said he may have been looking for a confrontation with Newport News Police, and Drew confirmed that, also.

“It would lead me to that, due to his comments, ‘I don’t want to live,'” Drew said as the man referred to the BB gun he had as a firearm. “He told them, ‘I’m not going to put down my firearm. I’m going to keep it on my lap.'”

Drew said officers at the scene had Critical Incident Training, which is mandatory in the Newport News police academy. He said officers did everything they could to de-escalate this explosive situation. The chief was emotional as he talked about the man’s death.

“I ask you to keep,” Drew said, pausing to gather his next words, “I ask you to keep Aaron and his family in your prayers, as well as the officers involved.”

Although Drew continued to refer to the BB gun as a firearm, in Virginia, a BB gun is not technically considered a firearm. However, based on photos, Drew said it had the appearance of a firearm. It also did not have an orange tip, a common distinction of a BB gun. “When I saw the photograph, I couldn’t tell that it was a BB gun,” Drew said.

Newport News Police said officers asked the man “repeatedly” to put the weapon down. As the interaction continued, the man pointed the weapon resembling a firearm at the officers. Three officers then fired their weapons toward the man.

“During this conversation, Aaron is moving the firearm all around,” Drew said. “He raised the firearm and points it in the direction of the officers, and that is when the officers fire their weapons.”

The man collapsed to the ground, and officers tended to him before he was taken to the hospital, where he later died, police said. Newport News Police forensics recovered the weapon, which was later determined to be a BB gun, police said.

Perrin recalled a conversation with the man, “that whatever he was going to do, he was going to do to himself, so I guess he wanted police to do it.”

Drew spoke with Dusinberre’s parents. He said Aaron’s father was not surprised by his phone call.

No officers were injured, and the officers involved were put on paid administrative leave with pay pending the completion of the investigation, which is ongoing.

It was the fourth time in 2024 in which Newport News police officers shot and killed someone they were trying to bring in, and none of the officers involved in Monday’s shooting had been involved in the previous incidents in which an NNPD officer fired a weapon at someone.